Local
The “Columbus Way” is notorious for co-opting the ideas of grassroots activists for its own gain. Just ask former mayoral candidate Joe Motil, and it has happened again. This time to the “Saint of Sullivant Avenue,” the moniker the Free Press gave to Esther Flores who has worked tirelessly to help Hilltop and Franklinton “street sisters and brothers” in their struggle with addiction to illicit street drugs.
Flores, a registered nurse, runs the 1DivineLine2Health “harm reduction” drop-in at 2424 Sullivant Avenue. She’s been helping the addicted and all the challenges they bring, such as human trafficking, violence, homelessness, and disease, since 2015. She had the courage to be a Sullivant Avenue harm reduction pioneer and has risked everything to help thousands, many of whom are women and their children.
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Hoarded wealth that could transform millions of lives corrupts. The unprecedented wealth of today's multi-billionaires corrupts absolutely.
The incredible imbalance of wealth in today's United States corrupts not just the tiny number of people hoarding most of it, but also the political and social system in its entirety.
Forbes magazine recently introduced its list of billionaires like this:
"The world’s billionaires have always been rich and powerful—but never more than now. That’s particularly true in the United States, where Donald Trump was sworn in (again) as America’s billionaire-in-chief in January. This time around, he’s giving the billionaire class more control over the government than ever before. His right-hand man is the planet’s richest person. His administration includes at least ten billionaires and billionaire spouses."
Sows in Factory Farm Gestation Crates, courtesy of CIWF USA/Jo-Anne McArthur /We Animals Media Non-Commercial use
The blades move ever faster, slicing through flesh—animal and human alike. Workers, pressed shoulder to shoulder in a factory of blood, push through exhaustion, through pain, through the deafening machinery, knowing that slowing down isn’t an option.
Pigs scream, their bodies trembling from stress and drugs, their legs buckling beneath them. Some won’t even make it to slaughter—collapsing from heat, injury, or sheer terror before they reach the kill floor.
Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 1:00 – 1:30 PM
Due to the number of executive orders, immigration raids, and other policy changes, Episcopal Migration Ministries is scheduling weekly immigration calls. EMM will share updates and resources and will be joined by the Office of Government Relations and the Chief Legal Officer.
Spanish interpretation will be available.
Mayor Ginther's and Columbus City Council's decades long continuation of granting tax abatements to wealthy developers and corporations have robbed hundreds of millions of dollars from our Columbus Public School coffers, let alone contributing to escalating property taxes that are forcing senior homeowners into foreclosure or having to unnecessarily sell their homes to unscrupulous investors. Columbus City Council will be voting tonight on two Enterprise Zone 10-year 75 percent tax abatements totaling $5.125 million.
With the upcoming Republican Party's state budget cuts in public education dollars a certainty, how in good conscience can a Democrat-controlled City Council located in the state’s largest public school district give away $5.1 million in property tax abatements in exchange for one company’s 15 $20-an-hour jobs and the other company’s 12 $24-an-hour jobs? These jobs will result in a meager $2,550 per month of City income tax revenue, or $30,600 annually, versus a property tax giveaway of $510,029 annually.
I don’t know where Blueprint’s 2005 record, 1988 stands in the history of Columbus records. I know it’s one of the best albums our city has ever released. I just haven’t made a ranking.
In the least, I won’t rank every Columbus record I like while reviewing a concert in Grandview. I know Blueprint’s 1988 is one of the most important records our city created. Blueprint performed Columbus Classic 1988 at Natalie’s. We were bumping a Rhymesayers Classic complete.
Natalie's was packed. I looked around. I understood why people attended. I worked with Blueprint’s Weightless Recording for years.
I promoted the original release party for 1988 with Blueprint’s label Weightless in 2005. I’ve seen Print at DJ PRZM’s events, Scribble Jam, Newport, Comfest, Skully’s, and Carabar etc. RIP PRZM.
I’ve watched Print in San Francisco, and various Illinois cities. I watched Detox and Blueprint every week for three years at Cafe Bourbon Street during So What Wednesdays. DAYMON DODSON RIP. Peace Sinkane.
A huge crowd braved the rain Saturday to go to the Ohio Statehouse and protest President Donald Trump and his administration. It was one of more than 50 such events scheduled for Ohio on Saturday and Sunday and more than 1,400 nationwide.
The Ohio Statehouse is in full swing, doing what it does best, which is to try to boost fracking of our beloved state parks, wildlife areas, and public lands. However, push back DOES work -- we've already gotten positive changes into one bill, and we need to keep pushing.
The federal government is escalating its outrages, snatching people off the street, sending people to a prison in El Salvador, claiming the power to act outside all laws including the U.S. Constitution.
You can add your name to a petition from a big coalition pushing back here.
The U.S. Congress is advancing legislation to strip sanctuary cities and states of rights and protections, as well as legislation to specifically do that to the city of Washington, D.C.
Saturday, April 5, 12noon
Ohio Statehouse and many cities around the country and Ohio
Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them. Columbus is fighting back!
They're taking everything they can get their hands on—our health care, our data, our jobs, our services—and daring the world to stop them. This is a crisis, and the time to act is now.
On Saturday, April 5th, we're taking to the streets to fight back with a clear message: Hands off!
Columbus, OH: Ohio Statehouse When: 12-2 pm, REGISTER
Westerville, OH: 21 S State St. When: 12-1:30 pm, REGISTER
Grove City, OH: 4035 Broadway When: 4-5 pm, REGISTER